Mods on the bench. Help me prep?

[BAC5.2]

Ok guys, I've got a handful of mods sitting on my bench ready to go into the car.

I need to make a list of all of the misc parts I'm going to need.

First thing: Coilovers.

I've got the DMS 40mm Gold's and Noltec front camber/castor plates.

So, what do I need for the suspension?

• Rear Group N strut tops

• Energy Suspension random bushings for lower control arms and such

I think that's actually about all I'll need for the coilover install. Other ideas on that front?

I've got a rear LSD to go in.

What do I need?

• Roll pins from the dealer (part number?)

• Replacement bushings for the forward crossmember (Does Energy make a bushing for this area?)

• Are there any aftermarket bushings for the rear diff carrier?

That should be all the extra parts, eh?

I have a WRX shift linkage

I don't think I need anything for that. I am going to hybridize the stock shift linkage I think, just using the stock carrier link and drop the guts from the WRX linkage into it, and the WRX upper link with the WRX shifter.

• Does Energy make bushings for the other linkage areas of the WRX?

I think that's all the things I need to prepare for. The other mods don't need any accessory parts.

I don't think I will need any special tools besides a 3/16" punch for the roll pins.

Can anyone think of any other accessory parts I'll need? Anyone have any favorite places to get bushings and such? Thanks!

[Yukonart]

If you don't already have them, a set of 14mm camber bolts for the rear coilovers.

(I think they're that size. . . they are on the GDs, anyway)

[BAC5.2]

I was planning on bottoming out the camber with the stock bolts, but maybe I should pick up a set. That's easy enough to do post alignment though, so if I need them, I'll get them.

On an aside: The stock camber bolts are REALLY strong. We lifted an engine into Matt's car using a stock camber bolt through the front engine brace. It was really cool.

[Yukonart]

Stock POWER!!!!111!one!

[THAWA]

they had damn well better be that strong. Afterall they're supporting the weight of the car.

[BAC5.2]

Well, there's 2 of them at each wheel supporting the weight of the car, but yea. You could probably suspend the entire weight of the car from one of those bolts. They were beefy.

Want to hear something scary, the strut top bolts are only supposed to be torqued to 13lb-ft. Your entire well being supported by 3 bolts torqued to 13lb-ft at each corner.

[LaureltheQueen]

that's not true. Your struts are. nothing is supported by these bolts except your suspension and tires when the car's jacked up.

[THAWA]

It is true. What do you think would happen if the bolts and threads were gone?

[BAC5.2]

Would you drive around without them? They are an integral part to the functionality of the suspension.

[LaureltheQueen]

then your struts would fall out. They do not support the car though, you can roll a car safely without them in, believe me. It's not a good idea, but we moved the party wagon a good 30-40 feet without the rear ones on

[BAC5.2]

The rear has the trailing link to limit movement. There is a point where the trailing link bottoms out, and the wheel will not go up anymore. On the front, without a strut, the tire will contact anynumber of things.

Remember, if the strut unseats from the strut tower, it's free floating to contact anything and everything in it's path. Like your fenders...

[legacy92ej22t]

How did it go today Phil? Did the rear LSD come out easy?

[BAC5.2]

We cut both rear lateral links with the Sawzall, and shimmy'd out the axles that way. Axles are WAY to hard to cut in half with a sawzall.

We were lazy, so we improvised the FSM's way of doing things and just cut the rear subframe a little to be able to get a wrench in there and spread the subframe so we could drop the diff attached to the bracket.

It will go in much cleaner than it came out, believe you me.

[evolutionmovement]

Actually if the struts become unattached, they just rattle around annoyingly and beat the bag out of the top mount, but the car is still driveable. I know, I broke the struts.

Steve

[scottzg]

I would get some steering rack bushings and endlinks since you're gonna need an allignment anyway.

I drove for about 3 days with a rear strut nut completely removed. It was a touch loose and the bonking from unloading the wheel removed it. I'm not dead yet!

[BAC5.2]

Hmm, good point. I probably won't get rear endlinks now, save a few bucks.

I guess I'll plan to do all of this in the spring sometime, maybe spring break and just have the car sit up for the week and work on it.